great And though the skirmish may much danger threat By how much more thou dost in battell strive The more the ioy in conquest thee'll revive For marke this one thing in a speciall measure If for the love of earth and carnall pleasure Thou leave Gods love and seeme his Grace to scorn Gods love will leave thee wretched and forlorne Even in thine houre of most necessity And give thee over to hels tyranny Thou art arriv'd now at the Haven of rest Where vessels must be firmely rig'd and drest Thy day of death which as thy last did fright thee Is thy eternall Birth day to delight thee Then cast off every clog that would thee stay If any darling sin lye in thy way Which thou extremely hast delighted in As with too many thou hast tyred bin Then leave it loath it For thy foot must tread A holier way a happier life to lead What ere is brittle is of little price And being fraile doth faile us in a trice And now thy feeble flesh must needs abide The common-Chance which does all sorts betide Then wonder not thy Predecessours all Did tread the selfe-same path both great and small How aptly answered they in such-like case Whether we watch or sleepe in any place Whether we talke or silent hold or peace Whether we walk or from our works doe cease Whether we will or nill in any thing By times least minutes we doe daily bring Our sliding gliding dayes at last to end And then to natures course must bow bend Then weep not my poore Mayd cease showres of tears At this my parting from thee cease all fears In heavens duetime we both againe shall meet And with full joy enjoy a union sweet Fl. Deare Mistresse these your admonitions kinde Doe mightily prevaile and ease my minde Yet I cannot some strugling thoughts dissemble To thinke to dye and be dissolv'd I tremble So. Alas weake Flesh that 's it I most desire To be dissolv'd and flye to th' heav'nly Quire O doe not thou indulge thy selfe too much Why dost thou looke so pale at deaths sweet touch Why dost thou quake and quiver at his sight Since thou shalt have a frame more faire and bright Than ever yet thou hadst or canst conceive These rotten mud-walls thou must onely leave To be pull'd downe and be built up againe To turne to dust then ever new remaine He onely feare of death is fit to show Which to his Saviour Christ is loath to goe â— goe before that I may see his face We both shall joyne and hee 'll us both embrace Meane-while thou must sleepe sweetly in thine urne And there into thy native dust returne â—rom whence thou shalt in farre more beauty rise â—nd see thy Saviour even with these same eyes â—or thou art laid in earth to lay-away Thy earthly-substance corrupt state of clay Be then couragious For as corne men sowe Must first dye in the ground before it grow Must first seeme rotten ere it rise againe Even so thy Body like unto the graine Must first lye dead and rotten in the grave Ere it in heaven eternity can have Fl. Now truly Mistresse you have sweetly said I now am much assur'd and well apaid Being thus fore-warn'd I am fore-arm'd from feare Death's face is now lesse terrible than ere And now O lovelesse-lovelesse-life burnt out enough Put out thy light ceasse now thy twinckling snuffe Farewell deare Mistresse sweetest soule farewell In this assured hope ring out my knell That in my Gods good time I rais'd shall be With thee my soule my Saviour Christ to see So. Having this hope in dying thou shalt live And I with joy shall me to thee regive De. How hardly can these two divorced be Have ye done talking and given way to me Your mutuall last-farewell take now I pray Time and my taske will now no longer stay So. O Death I prethee now take thine own time Make haste that I to heaven my haven may clime Come now and put thy charge in execution For I with this one well-fixt resolution Will winde up all I have not so liv'd here In this vaine world yet hereunto I feare I have beene too-inclin'd too much affected Which now I grieve and leave thee more neglected As that to live here longer I should shame Or that I durst not dye for feare of blame And that because I serve a Master kinde Whom I in Christ doe reconciled finde Thus therefore to goe out of this fraile life Is to goe into heavenly pleasures rife Thus life to leave is aye to live in Peace In full fruition of all joyes encrease Thus thee my Mayd I to the earth commend Whiles I Heavens Kingdome happily ascend De. Thus then adeu To both of you The end of the first Dialogue The Second DIALOGUE Betweene the Divell the Flesh and the VVorld The Argument of the second Dialogue The World and Flesh to every evill Are onely Agents for the Divell But here the Flesh being mortifi'de Sathans suggestions are deny'de Who can do nought but tempt to ill Has no more power although more Will Which amply to the world he showes And how ore carnall men he crowes But neither yet the world effects Nor He himselfe his foule projects Vpon the sanctified Heart Dead to the world and hels blacke Art The Divell thus repell'd each way With rage recoyles makes there no stay Di. WHere are ye my comragues my servants true My Martiall-mates by whom I must subdue What is there no hope left to lift or force The sullen Soule from her religious course Whereon she is so fixt and fully bent What no devise this geere for to prevent Must my high glory suffer such eclipse And be so child nigh kild with pious nips Surely I ever since my first great fall Have burn'd with lust and boyl'd with bitter gall Of deepe desire to fence and fortifie Yea and expatiate our large Emperie Yet still I finde by old experience That whiles the soule gets the preheminence Ore thee the flesh reason the soule subjects And grace guides reason all hath ill effects My projects perish and my engines faile My force growes feeble and my power does vaile Be stirring then my Champions old and brave For work enough to doe yee see ye have Fie are ye not asham'd more sound to sleep Now than ye us'd and sluggishly to keepe Your hands within your bosomes since that you Have for your Master so much work to doe For shame arise shake off this drowsinesse And hunt and haunt about with eagernesse Now is my Summer-season harvest faire Which if by your neglect and want of care It be let slip and fruitlesly past over Farewell all hope for ever to recover My owne peculiar strength and princely state O then faire flesh neat nice and delicate My faithfull servant whom above the rest I most doe trust and ever prized best And on whose strong assistance and brave ayde I ever have my chiefe assurance stayde And
The last TRVMPET OR A Six-Fold Christian Dialogue Viz. 1 Betweene Death the Flesh and the Soule 2 Betweene the Divell the Flesh and the World 3 Betweene Man and his Conscience 4 Betweene Conscience Sinne and Man 5 Betweene God and the Soule 6 Between the Soule and the City of Cod. Translated from the elegant Latine Prose of RICHARD BRâ—THVVAâ—T Esquire into English Verse BY IOHN VICARS Arise yee dead and come to judgement Hor. de Arâ—e Poetica Decies repetita placebit LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Robeâ—â—â—â—â—â—ocke and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head 1635. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull his ever most highly honoured good friend Sir VVALTER PIE Attourney Generall of the Court of Wards and to his truely vertuous and religious Consort the Lady HESTER PIE I. V. most Cordially wisheth the Kingdome of Grace here and the Kingdome of glory hereafter Right Worshipfull MY thankful thoughts long wandring seriously Which way I might my gratefull heart apply Fully and fitly to expresse show The infinite perpetuall debt Iowe To both your Worship and your Families For many free and friendly courtesies To me and mine In stept this little Booke And my desire t' accomplish undertooke Vpon which proffer promptly I laid hold And most respectively have thus made bold To dedicate both It and my poore All To both your Worships due memoriall Both as a Symboll of my sincere heart Obliged by indelible desert As also that like Philips little Lad This Trumpet may sound a Memento glad Vnto your Wor. Soules with comfort sweet Here to prepare with God in Christ to meet To shake off all earths clogs and Remora's Which hurt or hinder us with dull delayes From running here our race with patience From winning the reward of recompence In both which bound respects I humbly pray That this my little Tract Last Trumpet may Sound sweetly in your Worships â—ares minde And friendly favour and acceptance finde To'rd him who ever ev'ry way is bound To you and yours to rest and to be found Your good Wor. in all obsequious observance to be commanded IOHN VICARS To the Worshipfull his very worthy and most ingenious and ingenuous learned and religious Author RICHARD BRATHVVAIT Esquire I. V. wisheth all true holinesse and happinesse here and hereafter Most worthy Sir WHen first by happy chance I cast my fight Vpon the sparkling lustre beauty bright Of your rich jewell lockt-up enclos'd In a neat Cabinet I strait suppos'd It was great pitty such a pretty jemme Should be shut up from publike view of them Who could not with the Latine Key unlocke Your Casket and partake of your rich stocke I therefore have most worthy Sir made bold To ope the Locke lay ope your jemme of gold To every gracious eye and godly minde That in such Iewels can pure pleasure finde And thus with my weake breath your Trump to sound In a knowne tone whose eccho might rebound And on the hearers hearts reverberate To minde their present and their future state And hence I must ingenuously confesse I primely should and would the same addresse Vnto your worthy-selfes sole acceptation Were I not bound by most strict obligation To those my honour'd friends forementioned By cords of many favours thereto led But next to them accept I humbly pray This borrowed-light from your suns lustrous ray These bubling streames weake straines that have their motion From your full fount as tribute to your ocean In confidence of which great courtesie Thereof perswaded by your piety Praying your Worship may be aye possest Of all true holy happy joyes I rest Your good Worships in his best poore services to be commanded Iohn Vicars Authoris opinio de Interprete suo EX eo quod legi te de Hippocreni altiùs ebibisse collegi Optandum est quod Heliconiades nostri in hisce oleum operamque studiose impenderent quo apud posteros faeliciora Minervae monumenta relinquant Interim quae primum conscripsi edidi modò Superiorum authoritas ijs suffragetur ingenuè approbo eo scilicet more quo tu integre transtulisti Ingenij titulum meruit mihi crede perennem Qui cupit ingenio sacra levare suo Hoc tibi â—ICARIVS fecit Musisque peregit Oâ—ficium vatis dulce poema suis. Imprimatur SA BAKER Aprill 14. 1635. The last Trumpet OR A Six-fold Christian DIALOGUE The first betweene Death the Flesh and the Soule The Argument of the first Dialogue The Flesh presenting the Soules Mayd By Death encountred sore afrayd Shewes forth voluptuous-Gallants state Whilst yet they be degenerate How prone to pride and vanity How fear'd of Death how loath to die Vntill the Lady-Mistresse Soule By Grace rowz'd up does chide controule Her servant Flesh her fit to make To welcome Death and Life forsake Death HO who 's within Ope the doore instantly Flesh. Who 's that which knockes so bold and boysterously De. T is He that till he enters will not part Fl. Stay I le peepe out and see first who thou art And whether thou deserv'st heere to remaine If not knocke long enough and all in vaine De. Well now what think'st thou wilt thou open now Fl. O fearefull monster ugly beetle-brow Blinde of both-eyes without or lippes or chin Hence with a mischiefe I le not let thee in Knocke on yea knocke thy selfe to death thou may'st But I le not ope the doore whiles there thou stay'st De. Open for I will enter mark th' event Fl. What And without my Mistresses consent De. I without leave of Mistresse or nice Mayd Yea though by All within I be gaine-sayd Fl Is 't possible Whence cam'st thou hither pray Who sent for thee Thou might'st have kept away For we have heere within farre fayrer mates Fine fellowes merrier guests within our gates Sure th' art some Courtier by thy sirly face De. Indeed both Court and Cart in Me have place And I in them doe challenge equall right Fl. I prethee say who art thou what strange wight De. I surely am thy Sister and thy Brother F. Hence Beast th' art some Hermophrodite or other De. Therein indeed thy words are probable For of both sexes I am capable Fl Capable true too much too I beleeve But if my thoughts doe me not much deceive Thou neither lookest like male or female But art more truely some Ghost lanck and pale De. I am a Ghost yet am thy Looking-Glasse Where thou mayst see thy state like with ring grasse Fl. Who were thy Parents De. They that thee begot Fl. That 's strange but surely thus much I doubt not Thy Parents would have pluckt out both their eyes Ere from their loynes an Imp like thee should rise De. Yet they me bred For biting-Death did spring From their bold biting the forbidden thing Fl. Whence cam'st thou then D. From thine owne wilfull sin Fl Alas alas Then we must needs be kin De. True We are both of
Who ere thou art under this vizard grim Horrid Hobgoblin-like which dost beset And thus unseas'nably our household fret And fright and much disquiet our sweet rest Know this that thou canst nought at all molest Or terrifie my soule no though thou bring A thousand deadly darts and dost them fling With utmost furie and this Court surround Yet with least feare thou never canst me wound What though my carnall Mayde the flesh be frighted For shee 's indeed with nicenesse o're-delighted And unacquainted with so grim aspects And such unpleasing spectacles neglects Yet my prepared soule shakes off such feares And all such frights as buzing-flyes out-beares Then cut off all delayes make plaine relation What is thy name and proper compellation De. I fright not folkes with any Titles strange Nor yet with many mighty names doe range My name is short yet sharp to what hath breath And I by all am vulgarly call'd Death So. 'T is very well Fl. But fare you well were better His hideous presence does me feare and fetter De. But Lady if you please I will more plaine Explaine my selfe I to the heavenly Traine Am hasty-Herald Bodies Dissolution Th' Inevitable-End The Resolution Of all things And the Robber of Mankinde To thee being sent thee friendly to unbinde And set at liberty this thy nice-Mayd The flesh to see in her Sepulture layd Fl. What Sepulture I pray De. An earthly bed With a clay-pillow underneath thy head Fl. I have no need of such a Chamberlaine To make a Bed for me so coorse and plaine I have already beds more soft and sweet And than thy bed for mâ— me thinks more meet So. I think you meane the Grave to be your bed De. You think most true hit the nayle o' th head This I have ready made then let your Mayd Goe downe with me for therefore have I stayd And therefore am I hither come to thee And this demand is thus commanded me So. Nor may I such Commission disobey Fl. O my deere Mistresse send him soone away O will you now forsake me O wherein Have I so farre to you offensive bin Thus to be left have I not still regarded And done your will and must be thus rewarded Peace Mayd we must resistlesse-Fate obay Death is not sent to be sent backe with Nay And surely if thou soundly didst conceive And rightly weigh these things thou wouldst perceive And see and say that thus thou much dost gaine Rather than any detriment sustaine Fl. O when shall I this Paradoxe hold true So. When sense doth yeeld and reason doth subdue Fl. Must then my sense to reason so submit So. I by all meanes it is most just and fit Fl. O strange then what have you my Mistresse done Who have bin still by my perswasions won And all this while to them have lent your eare Listning to me your Mayde without all feare Whiles I my selfe was wholly led along And taken up with lustfull senses strong I still was angling with this hooke and bait And you to catch it greedily did waite Thus you with least allurements I could traine From Prayers to Playes things sacred to prophane Thus not your reason but my carnall-sense Led you along with fearelesse confidence Why then doe you now reason so much presse Which you your selfe so long did thus transgresse So. O Mayden Mayden this is it indeed â—hat makes me now so willing to be freed And thee forsake unlesse my soule I 'll kill â— freely must confesse I did thy will But O my soule thou hast an Inmate bin Too long alas in this darke house of sin Yet be not sorry that I now must leave thee And that thy Mother Earth must now receive thee â—Whence first I thee received as my friend And whither now I doe thee recommend For 't is that I may thee enjoy againe A body farre more faire without least stayne Fl. Is 't possible that I can fairer be By lying in the earth disioyn'd from thee Who but a mad man can beleeve this thing â—hat such a place should glistring beauty bring â—nd make my flesh more faire where earth 's my bed â—he Grave 's my house and wormes on me are fed So. Yet thus 't will be For dost thou not now find â—hat sleepe makes thee of livelier fresher minde Fl. What then So. What sleep is that is death also Fl. But death is too too long a sleepe I trow So. Why shouldst thou judge so who would think sleeps Too long whom in her armes his Mother keeps Fl. Rather his Step-dame who 'd not that refuse So. Thou dost thy Mother most unkindly use Is not the Earth thy naturall-mother just From thence thou cam'st thither returne thou must Thou hitherto art most unworthy knowne Of my aboad with thee and kindnesse showne I have but us'd thee as an Inne by th' way Wherein although I peradventure may Lodge for a night yet may not there remaine Feare not to die then death shall be thy gaine Since t is a Passage and sets-ope the gate Of a more happie life more blessed state De. Forbeare I pray these tedious altercations Death cannot suffer such procrastinations Many great tasks on me imposed are Which I must expedite with speciall care So. And we will readily heavens will obay Onely forbeare a little while I pray Till I have made my Maid more fit for thee For she is nice and timorous you see And is much frighted at thy fearfull face Stand by therefore I pray a little space Till I but onely her more plâ—ant make To thy unwelcome message and to take My wholsome counsels admonitions free Which being done I will most readie be To tread the foot-steps of that Gorgias grave In sweet desire my passage forth to have Who being asked once if willingly He was content to leave this life and dye Answer'd Yes truly For I go hence glad As from a rotten ruin'd Cottage bad De. I pray proceed then and perform your mind So. Come neere my Flesh to me thy Mrs. kinde Prepare thy plyant eares and facile heart To these last precepts which I 'le now impart Fl. Deare Mistresse speake for whatsoere you say I ready am to heare to grant obay So. Friends parting-words most inly penetrate And â—he sad sighes they then ejaculate Do in the hearers heart stampe deepe impression And make them yeeld farre more intent concession We both are now a long-farewell to take And I from thee and thou from me must make A separation and disunion large Come hither then and heare my parting-charge Prepare and fit thy selfe forthwith for Death Before he fiercely comes to stop thy breath Forsake those pleasures wherewith heretofore Thou wast engaged yea ingulft all ore Leave them I say and being left despise them And henceforth as thy souls chiefe murtherers prize them And now the small remains of time yet lent To gaine thy God in Christ let whole be spent The fight is short the victory is
justly too For a domesticke foe Wounds the more deeply gives the deadlier blow But what hast thou beene doing all this while Why dost thou thus waste time my hopes beguile What wilt thou now prove turne-coat backward flye And leave me in my most necessity Fl. Alas I know not what to doe or say My Mistresse hath me starv'd and pin'd away And to hard fastings she harsh stripes does adde I wretch am nought but skin and bone too bad Whereby I am not unto lust incited Nor with lascivious moâ—ions ought delighted If I to walke abroad to friends affect I am recall'd shut up and soundly checkt If I desire full feasts enflam'd with wine She useth on me most sharpe discipline What ere is irkesome to me she commands What ere delightsome stricktly she withstands Then in this case alas what should I doe I cannot her content and yet serve you Di. Thou say'st most true But how may this thing be That she should so much curb and bridle thee What hast thou lost all power of reluctations All thy most slye acustom'd inchantations I have thee knowne a most facetious-Lasse A nimble Artist apt to bring to passe With fine insinuations her to prove And so thy selfe t'ingratiate in her love Where are those fiery tickling darts layd by Wherewith thy soule thou woundedst frequently Where are I say those carnall cogitations Which with importunate rife molestations Did beat upon thy heart occasioned By drinke sleepe pleasure flesh-much pampered Hast thou forgot that death first entrance made At those two windowes which the soule betrayd Where are then those bright sparkling lights most fayre Which us'd to be ensnar'd and to ensnare Canst thou behold no face as thy fit prize Or hast thou pull'd-out lust-alluring eyes Or is 't for love of vertue my chiefe foe That thou dost lifes sweet pleasures thus forgoe Fl. My Mistresse 't is that on me does inflict A rigid sparing course and life most strict Di. And what of that must thou therfore be nice Fle. O Sir a moderate life does murther vice Quite quencheth lust doth valiant vertue nourish Corroborates the soule makes the minde flourish And elevate it selfe to things above Whereby it comes to passe that I still prove More faint and feeble she more active is She stronger I more weake to doe a misse Di. Thou dost endure sharp slavery indeed I wish thee then shake off thy yoake with speed Deale roundlier with thy soule her tartly chide For if so Saint-like she in thee abide And exercise on thee such holinesse Thou loosest me and dost thy selfe distresse Thou must therefore beginnings most withstand And have this Sentence ready still at hand Pleasure is of all ill the luscious meat This thou must sugredly suggest repeat Vnto the minde of thy great Mistresse faire With this thou must her heart entice ensnare Which part by thee with wit and craft well playd Thou hast the day and victour shalt evade Fl. But these mine armes unarmed are and faint My courage dead I can me not acquaint With earths delights nor seeke nor yet suggest To any pleasures for I them detest My nimblenesse of wit doth faile me quite Connative-lust in me hath lost it's might I see not ought unlawfully to will I more wish food than pleasures to fulfill Di. I is it so returne then to thy dust Thou art not worthy my least love or trust Yet stay a while for I 'll to thee call forth My other agent of more precious worth Which with more care and sedulous respect Will all my high designes fully effect â—ome neere most worthy World my stedfast friend My matchlesse Mouse-trap whereinto I send Besotted sinners who with heedlesse hearts Are caught whiles they neglect soule-saving parts Thou world I say who when thou seem'st to smile Dost much more hurt than when thou dost turmoile And when thou dost entice to be affected Art most to be avoyded disrespected Then with supine neglect to be despised When men by thee are forced or advised Hence 't is that they which have thy favour found Are like those men which in deep seas are drownd Wo. Sir I am ready and most promptly prest In all things to performe your high behest Most forward free t' endure all labours great To suffer pinching hunger cold or heat Yea and what not whereby I may expresse My bounden Best to you with eagernesse Di. Hark dost thou hear my most obsequious Client How readily addrest how prest and pliant With all approved care his best to bend The confines of our Kingdome to extend Fl. I heare right well and cannot choose but smile D. What makes thee smile thou thin-skin'd quean most vile Fl. His madnes which a measure doth surmount D. But my wise world does thee most sottish count Whose rigid life thy life hath well nigh spent And strooke thee dead to pleasure and content Fl. Nay rather But what rage of slavish sinne Does vexe and much perplex all those within Which thirst so after worlds Wormewood and Gall And following him doe on lifes shipwracke fall Enduring thus much mischiefe and the power Of impious tyranny soules to devoure D. What 's this who made thee such a Preacher pray Fl. She which me governs and whom I obey Di. A wretched service 't is to be regarded Where a sharpe-life is for full-pay rewarded Fl. Nay rather hee 's to foolish bondage bent Which serves the wrangling-Divell nere content Di. Is 't possible thou should'st thus saucie be I 'll plague this-pride with all extremity Fl. Your threatnings great doe little me affright I need not feare the Divels fraud or might Having the Lord farre stronger on my part I know ther 's nothing sweeter to thy heart Than at thy pleasure me to make to sin And having sinn'd mine overthrow to win But now at last I have resolv'd to leave Thy slavish yoake which did me long bereave Of my best liberty for now I see How many sinnes so many Divels in me And that unlesse I these from me expell The others will within me lurke and dwell But thou hast surely lost a Mayd of me And blest be heaven whose grace hath set me free The flesh well rul'd is servant to the soule If this doe rule the other 's in controule Wo. Intollerable is thine insolence To heare thee longer I want patience Fl. And want it still who cares for that I pray Wo. Thou shouldst I think give to thy elder way Fl. My elder that thou art indeed I grant Not better whiles th' art Sathans stiffe servant Wo. Why what hadst thou been prethee without mee Fl. Nay but for me what had become of thee Wo. The World I surely evermore had bin Fl. Nay rather a wilde Desert empty thin For what 's the world if men do it not furnish And what is man if flesh do him not garnish Di. Thou arguest wittily But yet I say The world begirts and hems thee every way Fl. But were not flesh in being
see me whom I need to feare Tusâ— God my faults does not in mem'ry beare Vaine most profane are all such thoughts as these Shall not the eyes-creator see with ease And shall not he that made the eare soone heare Or He that plants the heart know all things cleare All things to his Omniscience naked are Fly from the field to th' towne with frighted care Out of the street into thy house make haste Thence though thou be in thy bed-chamber plac'd Yet know that I by thy Creators will Within thee rest and am thy witnesse still Whom if thou with an evill-eye behold To use those words to me thou wilt be bold Of Ahab to Elias impiously What hast thou found me O mine enemie And I most readily shall answer thee I have thee found and must against thee be 'Cause thou hast sold thy selfe to worke what 's iâ—â— Before the Lord which does thy guilt fulfill Behold therefore I now against thee rise And bring upon thee purchas'd miseries Ma. Alas I then perceive our foule offences Are most unsafe though daub'd with faire pretences Con. What though they could be safe in their commission If yet they bring thee to unsure condition Or what good comes to sinners by being hid If guilt to hope so long does them forbid Ma. Enforme me then good Conscience how I may Make thee my gladsome witnesse in me stay Con. The best and briefest counsell I can give Is thee t' advise a holy-life to live A life inculpable of crying-crimes Vnspotted with the evils of the times A life declaring power of godlinesse A life that heavenly graces doth expresse By dying to all lusts and foule desires By doing all good-deeds that love requires By giving freely what to each belongs Forgiving friendly all received wrongs Not coveting what is anothers right To do as thou'dst be done by with delight By shunning that which makes the soule to dye Chusing what makes it live eternally Ma. These are hard tasks and bitter lessons sure And such as flesh and bloud cannot endure Con. O but it will be farre more harsh and hard T' endure the worme of Conscience and be barr'd And shut out from the Beatifick-sight Of Gods all-cheering face and beauty bright Which paine of losse doth doubtlesse farre excell All other the most horrid paines of hell Namely to be both torne and tortur'd there To be distracted and distrest with feare Where neither the tormentors tyred be Nor those tormented ever death can see Ma. Alas that Death 's most dire and tart indeed Ah shew me how I may from it be freed Con. The onely-way is to the world to dye Before thy soule out of this world doth flye Ma. What must this spacious specious Aedifice Adorn'd with rarities of precious price Full of so many various curious pleasures The onely magazine of so much treasures Must this I say be vilipended so Must I this world so rare so faire forgo Con. Vndoubtedly if thou in these delight With deadly danger they thy soule will smite For look how much the flesh this world affects And the false-seeming-sweets thereof respects So much the more the soule will be perplext And with the fire of hell be plagu'd and vext On th' other side How much the flesh is tam'd So much the soule with heavenly hope is flam'd Ma. But yet we see all men do still desire The present-state t is this they most require Con. But yet I know t is far the worst condition T' enjoy things-present in a full fruition But therewithall to be quite stript and bare Of future-comforts to have part or share O t is most sweet onely the world to use But God alone t' enjoy and chiefe to chuse Thou hast not in this world a fixed station Nor here must ever have thy habitation Who then can sing his Song in a strange-land Who would build Castles on the sinking-sand Alas we here our selves should so behave That when the wormes did eate our corps in grave Our soules in heaven triumphantly might sing With quires of Saints and Angels to heav'ns King Thither our spirit ever should ascend Whither we do propound our journies-end Thither we should make speedy haste yea flie Where we shall ever live and nere-more die Dost thou pure gold nere to be spent desire Eternall-life which never ends require The land of Havilah in Paradise Hath in it store of gold of precious price T is Earth thou bear'st that thou must leave behinde T is earth thou tear'st that thou must nere-more mind But t is a land thou seek'st and would'st receive That is the land which thou shalt never leave Men rather are Gods Stewards than Treasurers Riches therefore upon them He conferres What then we reape we piously should sowe And liberally and lovingly bestow That this true faith and due obedience Might be repayd with heav'nly recompence The things we give are small and not our owne Those we shall have are great and from Gods throne Mâ—n whose affections are celestiall Are justly stil'd Angels terrestriall And no man shall hereafter God possesse In whom God dwels not here by holinesse If Sathan Prince of earth hath thy least part God King of heav'n will not dwell in thy heart The spirit of evill then cast out disdaine That so thou mayst Gods Spirit entertaine Remember whence thou cam'st thine offspring base And this will make thee blush and hide thy face Consider where thou art and sigh for wo And quake to thinke whither thou once must go Ma. All are I know made of one Potters clay And must resolve into the same one day Con. Then every man being mould must into earth Moulder away whence first he took his birth Ma. Nothing 's more true Con. And Flesh is but a froth Cloth'd with fraile beauty a meere menstruous cloth Man T is even so I can it not denie Con. Why then dost thou so fat and beautifie That Flesh of thine which after a short while Must be devour'd in grave by wormes most vile But as for thy poore soule thou let'st it pine Nor dost with good works make it faire and fine Which thus to God and 's Angels thou shouldst show Thou dost not sure the price of thy soule know Man Yes very well Con. I feare the contrarie For else thou wouldst not it so vilifie Know this O Man know this I say to thee The losse of one soule greater losse to be Than of a thousand bodies for t is plaine Bodies may be reviv'd that have bin slaine But O the soule which once by sinne is dead Can never be to life recovered But by a miracle Christs bloud apply'd Which cannot be where it is still deny'd O then behold and blush to see thy sloth Or rather sinfull sottishnesse or both In thus preferring barke before the tree Shels 'fore the kernels flesh 'fore the soule in me Not onely blush at this but sigh and groane Whiles thou considerest how th' art left alone Here in
neere to me then and I will thee draw And listen to the lessons of my Law S. Speak Lord for I thy hand-mayd do thee heare And gladly bend my most attentive eare G. Then first of all thou must wel know and see Both whence thou cam'st what th' art what thou shalt be If thou me please whence first thou didst proceed Thou now art and shalt be most blest indeed Thou wast what now thou art not and 't was I That gave thee this thy present-entity I have thee over others set and plac'd And thee with high prerogatives have grac'd Superiour-things for joy equall for mates Inferiour things to serue thee in thy straits S. What canst thou give unto me for me more If thou thy selfe dost give t is all rich store G. I gave thy selfe to thee when thou wast nought I gave my selfe to thee being worse than ought I have my selfe for thee at last reserved That thou in endlesse-blisse might'st be preserved S. O blessed mysterie of most dimension O blessed benefit of large extension G. A mysterie it is wherein indeed Thou must of three things take especiall heed 1. The mercie of thy ever-loving Lord 2. The merit which Christs sufferings do affords 3. And the free grace of Gods most holy Spirit Which the sweet Gospell cals thee to inherit 1. My mercie lov'd thee ere it thee created And thee from other creatures separated 2. The merit of my Christ did purchase thee When moved meerly by his love most free Thy miserie caus'd him the heavens to leave And for thy sake such wrongs here to receive 3. The grace of my good Spirit thee then did call When it did preach and teach thee therewithall It freed thee fully when thy state it saw And from fouls bodies dangers did thee draw S. O that I were of brinish teares a spring That I these loves might fully see and sing G. Thus thou hast briefly first seen What thou wast Vpon thy present state thine eyes next cast See What thou art Which thus is first defin'd The Soule is the plaine image of the Minde The minde Gods Image is But God's more great Than is the minde and has there supreme seat The Minde againe is greater than the Soule The Soule doth all the Bodies parts controule And thus O soule thy dignity is great Adorn'd with diverse ornaments complete Even princely priviledges which remaine To make thy lustre of an higher straine On thee is graven the image of thy Maker Thou art redeem'd with Christs bloud and partaker Of all he is espous'd by faith to him Thy dowrie is his Spirits graces trim Invested with his vertuous righteousnesse And made than glorious Angels little lesse First then if any aske Whose image rare And superscription is this thou dost weare Well mayst thou answer t is the image right Of supreme Caesar soveraigne Lord of light If yet they aske thee how it was defac'd Tell them by rust of sinne it was disgrac'd How wast repaired By thy Saviours bloud How wast espous'd By faiths-ring pure and good How is 't endow'd with influence of Gods Spirit How is 't adorn'd with flowers of Christs due merit How is it plac'd and grac'd with dignity Even with blest Angels in their purity Say then good soule is not this state most blest Yes sure unlesse earth has thy joy possest For who except he a ranke traitour be Traitour I say both unto me and thee Dares be so bold this image to put out Since it is heavenly Caesars past all doubt Who shall thy soule make vendible to vice Redeem'd with such a summe thou art blouds price Who shall thee such an amiable Bride Vnto thy heavenly King in Wedlocke tyde Once dare to violate or lay least staine Since thee my specious soule I entertaine Who shall endevour to eclipse or dim Thy sacred secret inward-light most trim Glistring most gloriously from heaven on thee Since t is the light of my blest Spirit from me Who shall once dare to crop those fragrant flowers Of vigorous-vertues from our heavenly bowers Those precious aromatick-sents of grace Since th' are thy beauties sent from our blest face Who can divorse thee from those blessed-mates Promis'd my Saints in their celestiall states Yea set about thee here still to defend thee Since they are Angel-troops that do befriend thee Thus hast thou seene thy first and present state Now hearken what condition does thee waite Namely if here thou live a Saint divine In heaven thou shalt Angelically shine Be therefore ever going growing ever Faint not in my paths and go backward never But to stand still is to go backe in grace For here 's no medium or abiding-case Thou either must go freely forward still Or certainly thou wilt go backe to ill In which thy pious progresse have a care Especially to keepe thy paths most faire By that most holy grace Humility Which will thee lead with sweet stability Prate not of thy proficiencie at all Or growth in grace lest pride do make thee fall For what soere is done 's undone againe If lowlinesse do it not safe sustaine He therefore which does other vertues get But does not with humility them set Doth like to one that carries dust i th' winde Whereof he soone himselfe doth empty finde Men therefore fitly call Humility Rare vertues Queene death of impiety Faire Virgins Mirrour and the mansion neat Which the blest Trinity hath made its seat Nor can that soule be counted poore and bare That shines with beauteous beams of meeknesse rare For this knows well to order its owne minde Which seldome I in rich and great men finde And hence it is that men say Poverty In good mens mindes doth guard humility In having which they are farre richer sure Than he which could the whole worlds crowne procure S. O my deare Lord whereof should I be proud Whose nature yeelds not ought by thee allow'd In many things I my deficience know In nothing I can least sufficience show G. Be of good courage soule for usually He that most feares his owne sufficiencie Best fares in piety For how should he Desire supply which no defect doth see Mine onely grace which is sufficient still Is most pure Balsum which from me does thrill And it requires a vessell pure and sound And in such onely will be sweetly found I 'll therefore clense the cisterne of thy heart And then the Balsum of my grace impart Yea I will leade thee to yet higher things To yet more fluent and more pleasant springs Put forth thy hand and I will thee embrace Know'st thou my presence is in every place S. Yes Lord I know in every place thou art And yet not circumscrib'd to any part I know that thou art present every where Yet neither place nor motion do thee beare G. And dost thou know I have an all-seeing-eye S. I know acknowledge it submissively And that thou Lord revenger of all ill Dost eye and spie see and fore-see
all still If I should hide my selfe in earth most deepe Thy piercing eye could sentinell there keepe If I in wildernesse would build my nest Even there should I to thee be manifest G. And dost thou know that I am judge of all S. Most certainly and that my Saviour shall The whole world judge with equity and right Though he on earth was sentenced with spight G. O if thou didst both know and well beleeve That I thy God do every thing perceive Am present every where and must judge all I thinke so oft on sinne thou wouldst not fall S. We all O Lord are very weake and fraile And I know none so apt as I to faile G. By how much thou thy state more fraile dost So much the stronger thou shalt daily grow But tell me now this one thing wouldst thou faine know Be counted worthy me to entertaine S. Blessed thrice blessed is that soule most sure That can his God to be his guest procure For he can never want a sure protection In whom thou dwel'st worthy thy sweet refection G. Thou shalt be worthy if thou follow me S. Lord to the crosse in Christ to purchase thee G. That blessed author finisher of faith Hanging upon the Crosse bequeathed hath In his last-will of love and piety To divers sorts a severall legacie To his Apostles persecutions tart Vnto the Iews his corps and wounded heart His Spirit into his heavenly Fathers hands Vnto the Virgin Iohns firme fostering-bands To the beleeving-thiefe blest paradise To soule-slaying sinners helt just pay for vice And to repentant-Christians he set downe A certaine crosse before a promis'd Crowne S. O Testament full of pure charity From whence I may collect infallibly That all the hope of mans salvation blist Doth in Christs meritorious death consist G. And whence thou mayst collect thy dignity The purchase of a soule a price most high Which at no lower rate could ransom'd be But by Christs bloud shed on the Crosse for thee Vse then all care thy selfe to watch and ward Vnto thy latter end have great regard And this most holy wholesome sentence grave Be evermore sure in thy minde to have Whether I sleepe or wake with watchfull eye Or whatso'ere I do continually Me thinks that last great Trumpets sound I heare Arise ye dead to judgement now appeare S. A sound O Lord indeed most lowd and shrill To Saints most glad to sinners sad and ill G. And yet alas I pitty thy poore case This shaking sound which should all evill chase No sooner is remembred than forgot And this the soules rich worth doth staine and spot An asse fals in a pit and is puld out But if a soule falls no man looks about Ev'ry man does his bodies death much feare But very few do for the soules death care And whence I pray does this souls-slaughter rise Because men do that precious thing despise Which being lost and carelesly neglected A soule so falne cannot be re-erected Nothing men say more precious is than Time And yet alas oh t is a common crime Nothing is now a dayes esteem'd more base Nothing more slighted than these dayes of grace Yet on this moment which men here let fly Dependeth most mans blest eternity Then let not Pastimes passe the times away But up be doing good in this thy day Correct thy selfe and then my mercy crave No fault so great which cannot pardon have S. But O my God I many things here finde By liking which I staine and soyle my minde G. But he them all contemnes most easily Which alwaies mindefull is that he must dye S. O but deare God I feare I shall dye never G. Dye to the world and live with me for ever But marke this well unto the world to dye Is to forsake this world primarily Not to be left by it for if that men Begin Repentance and to leave sinne then When they can sinne no longer and forsake The world when they no more of it can make Sinne leaveth them they doe not leave their sinne The world leaves them ere they this worke begin Not to avoyd a danger when thou may'st Is not to have thy hope upon me plac'd But 't is to tempt me rather wilfully Leaving the rule liking security In hope therefore feare fearing take good heed Thus of much danger thou shalt safe be freed Beare tryals then and thou shalt comforts have No conquest comes without a battaile brave S. Most holy Lord I all things will forsake All tryals I will gladly undertake That I at last may thee my God possesse Who art my All in All in all distresse Forsake thy-selfe and then thou shalt me finde Put off all high-conceipts all pride of minde A Christians prime-Praeludium and best tryall Is to divorce himselfe by selfe-denyall Thou art not mine if thou preferre thy will Before my pleasure in thy actions ill For no man heere can stand which heartily Will not himselfe for my-sake vilifie Thou hast within thee from me still to teach thee Or stay with me or else returne and reach me When-ere thou shalt be mov'd or avocated By ill-affects nay defects instigated Give me thy-selfe then and thou shalt me gaine Love me and thou shalt my free love obtaine S. Certainely holy Lord he loves not truly Who loves ought with thee which thee loves not duely Love to the thing-belov'd transaminates And in its love it-selfe full fatiates I wholly leave my-selfe nought is in me I totally being thine will rest in thee And in my Saviours armes I doe desire My life to lead and sweetly to expire But yet I cannot comfortably sleep Vntill my Soveraignes armes me safely keepe G. Be comforted poore Soule thou shall be sure To be more safe then rest thou heere secure A Christians-crosses are a Christians Crowne And shall obtaine immortall high renowne Persist therefore in this my Cordiall-love Wherein if thou thy-selfe sincere approve Thou wilt a thousand deaths more soone endure Than willfully by sin my wrath procure Persist I say in my religious feare Wherein if thou thy-selfe uprightly beare Thy House of Clay thou shalt well regulate Thy actions thou shalt wisely ordinate Thus thou shalt sweetly have repose in me Thou need'st not feare because my love 's in thee For that soule surely cannot feare that loves But that soule whom no love of me once moves For perfect love all servile-feare casts-out And fortifies the soule from griefe and doubt It brings-forth most enduring-dignity And fits thee for my Saints society S. Most holy God so write thou in my Heart By finger of thy Spirit the sacred Art Of memory of thy Mellifluous-name That blacke-Oblivion nere blot out the same Yea print upon my soule and sincere minde And graven on my Brest let me still finde Thy sacred pleasure which no chance or change May violate or from my thoughts estrange Come Lord come perfect what thou hast begun And in-mee on-mee Thy blest will be done G. Goe-on then
is the light of lights The rest and receptacle of delights Life of all living seat of travellers The palme the prize the crowne of conquerers S. O who can Gods great goodnesse understand How wondrous are the works of his right hand Yesterday I was in earths darknesse dimme To day in heavens resplendent lustre trimme Yesterday in the roaring Lyons power To day i th' hands of my sweet Saviour Yesterday brought unto the gates of hell To day in Paradise where joyes excell Yesterday in the worlds circumf'rence round To day in Abrahams bosome blestly found O that men living on the earth below Did least part of celestiall joyes well know Then solely seriously all paines the'yd take In holy duties no least losse they 'd make Of precious time which no man can regaine Nor would so fruitlesly their lives retaine Divines would then more study lives than learning More to live well than quaint disputes discerning Their chiefe philosophy they would it deeme To know Christ and him crucifi'de esteeme Grave Oratours would not so breake their brains To vent strong lines invent such losty strains As holily and heartily to speake And by good works from guilded words would break The worlds great traders would more piously Endure and not procure an injurie And count a quiet and good conscience best Yea farre beyond the greatest gaine possest Then that intolerable beast most wilde I meane that canker covetice most vilde Would not so rage and rave in courses base But yeeld to time as the fit time of grace Yea all of all sorts would so sparke and shine In holinesse of life and gifts divine That those two sayings at the last great day Should never from their thoughts depart away Go O ye cursed into fire eternall Come O ye blessed to a crowne supernall Oh what can be more harsh more full of wo Than then to heare that bitter saying go But what can better then pronounced be Than that blest invitation iâ— Come ye Two sentences than one of which none sadder And than the other none was ere heard gladder Oh if men would these throughly ruminate Then they more soundly would recogitate And thinke upon the last and dreadfull day As that on which they must resolve to clay Yea they the judgement-day would duely tender As that on which they must a reck'ning render Then would they muse and meditate on hell As on that lake where woe and horrour dwell And thinke on heaven as on a glorious place And kingdome of incomparable grace Their time yet left to heaven they 'd consecrate Their lampe yet light aloft they 'd elevate No day without a line no line should be Without a guiding-rule to sanctitie No smallest sand out of the houre-glasse Without at least one trickling teare should passe They nothing not time-present would count theirs Whose onely minute all their due appeares The morning they would make dayes inchoation The evening that dayes due examination Their bodies from their beds they soone would raise Their drowsie sleepe they 'd shun without delayes Their candle lighted they betimes would pray And give their God the first-fruits of the day Then they would boldly looke death in the face Yea gladly they 'd invite his hastie pace And being wholly dead to earths false joy They best would live while they seem'd life to ' stroy By dying so they death would deadly wound And by Deaths death their life would best be found Thus they would not count death a pang or paine But rest from sorrow and their greatest gaine Thus earth disdain'd and heav'n obtain'd all blest They would approach the haven of endlesse rest But worldlings alwayes finde by proofe most bad Whiles they breathe out this sentence sowre and sad O death how bitter is the thought of thee To those that earthly peace with wealth do see That unto whom the world 's a blandishment To them it brings from heaven a banishment For two most distant loves do men still make Of two most distant Cities to partake The love of God Ierusalem erects The love of earth proud Babilon protects The place of peace Ierusalem is nam'd Babilon is Seditions seat proclaim'd But they shall nere in Peaces-city dwell Which love not peace but like confusion well O then that men on earth these things would minde They even on earth an heavenly life would finde G. Thou dost indeed most sweetly meditate Things well befitting soules in heavenly state For if men did these things more seriously Discusse and scan and to themselues apply They to the world would sure more strangers be And cleave to God in neerer amitie But we must joy in Gods revealed will Rejoyce in Converts comming to us still Pray the approach of all terrestriall Saints Who this our Cities ruine and restraints Must restaurate and full re-edifie And make complete to all eternity Meane while sweet soule beloved lovely mate Come thou to us with us cohabitate Blest in thy selfe gratefull to us all blest Most blessed in this blessed state of rest Come let us now with interchang'd embraces With mutuall joy new songs go take our places In Gods most admirable Tabernacle All sacred Saints most holy habitacle Now thy once Ministers become thy mates Now 'mongst the lillies in most lovely states 'Mongst troops of glorious Angels shining bright Thy lustre now may glister full of light Yea now thou mayst lye downe on beds of roses Amongst Gods lovely lambes in sweet reposes Come come I say be now exceeding glad That thou art with celestiall beauty clad Ioy in enjoying endlesse joy and peace In Gods blest presence which can never cease S. O most mellifluous sweetnesse most admird O heavenly honey pleasures most desir'd How sweet thou art in serious meditation How farre more sweet in thy due declaration How much more sweet to view and contemplate How most transcendent sweet in blest estate T is not in all I am to set thee forth T is past my power to blaze thy blessed worth But t is enough for me that I possesse thee That being in thee blest I thus do blesse thee That I aloud his laud and praise may sing That plac'd and grac'd me here heav'ns glorious King To whom with Iesus Christ and his blest Spirit Who doth all power and praises wholly merit Even heavens ineffable Trine-unity Be Halelujahs sung eternally Amen Ephes. 5.14 Arise thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Bernard An account must be given of all the time lent unto us how it hath beene spent by us Aug. upon Psal. 36. My brethren if ye are perswaded that we shall enjoy any such things in that countrey wheâ—eunto the celestiall-silver trumpet incites and summons us and for their sakes ye are willing to abstaine from things present that there ye may receive those future comforts more copiously Do then as those men who being invited to a great feast keepe their stomacks empty and are content to abstaine that their appetites may attaine an even insatiate satisfaction FINIS